Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

Here we go again. Yesterday there was supposed to be a celebration for it being 12 months since Mr Turnbull knifed Tony Abbott. But we in this place know, and the Australian people know, that there was actually nothing to celebrate. The excuse that we have just heard in this chamber today in relation to the backdown on this critical government policy on superannuation just does not stack up. Those on the other side, including Senator Back, were part of the government which developed their policies to go to an election. They had all the resources of the Department of Finance and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Everyone was at their disposal so that they could develop their policies and cost them.

Now we hear the excuse that, 'We've gone out and consulted and we're changing things.' The reality is the backdown has come because the far Right of the Liberal caucus of the government have pulled the strings yet again to say, 'Mr Turnbull, you need to dance to our tune.' That is the reality of it. And then they say: 'What are you going to do? Are you going to support us or are you not going to support us?' But on this side of the chamber, let us face it, the Labor Party have been the supporters of superannuation for workers in this country and we have stood firmly with them. We understand how necessary this policy is.

My colleague Senator Gallagher touched on the serious issue of the debate by those opposite having been shambolic over the last four years, which has led to the community having real concerns about their superannuation. That is a disgrace. It is not like they were coming in and taking the government benches as a new government. They had all those resources at their disposal and, still, what have we seen? Backflips and backdowns. We on this side will do what we do when we consider government policy: we will consult, we will consider and we will get expert advice before we make our decision in relation to these changes.

I can recall the current Prime Minister saying to the Australian community, 'The reason I had to knife Tony Abbott was that he was unable to show any economic leadership.' Well, economic leadership has not happened under Mr Turnbull as Prime Minister. It just has not happened. What has happened is that we have seen a breakdown between the Treasurer, Scott Morrison, and the Prime Minister on so many issues, but particularly on this issue. I understand that Mr Morrison has been going around to his backbenchers, taking out his slideshows, and trying to convince them that what he wanted—what they went to the election with—was the right policy. Now we see another backflip and backdown, and the right wing of the Liberal Party are getting their way yet again.

That brings me back to the point that I have spoken about a number of times in this chamber: who is Malcolm Turnbull, the Prime Minister? Mr Turnbull instilled a lot of energy into trying to convince the community—which he did, to some degree—that he was going to be different. He was going to be a leader that could unite his party. He would be a leader that would not speak in three-word slogans. He would be a leader that was going to show that he had a plan and a strategy. He was going to preside over an agile, innovative, 21st-century government. And what has he delivered? None of those things. There is not any unity in the government. In some respects, people might say, 'What does that matter?' It does matter, because if, as Prime Minister, you cannot govern your own caucus then you certainly do not have the skills and the leadership that this country needs for you to be the Prime Minister. Quite clearly, Mr Turnbull will do whatever it takes. He will appease the right wing of the Liberal Party so that he can keep residing in the Lodge. (Time expired)